Door or the like



Se t. 7, 1937. c. POST DOOR OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1955 f 7206 721 07 fiZczueZs l. P055 3" Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFI'CE 9 Claims.

My invention relates to the general class of doors and more particularly to an improved type of door for garages, warehouses or the like.

The invention has among its objects the pro- 5 duction of a device of the kind described which is simple in construction, durable, inexpensive, convenient, and which may be easily closed or opened without effort.

Among its furtherobjects is the production of a door which will occupy onlya limited space and which, when opened, is out of the way.

Another object of the invention is theiproduction of a door which will provide effective-protection from the elements.

A further object is a door which may be securely locked from the interior or exteriorand afiord effective protection. against unauthorized opening from the exterior.

Among the further objects of the invention is the production of a door so counterbalanced and controlled that it may be easily started to its open position to facilitate the initial opening, but which will not be unduly accelerated during the opening so as to be violently jerked into the wide open position, and which may be opened and closed without difficulty even when there is ice and snow at the outside of the structure and at the base of the door.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein likereference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the door in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. l, the door being shown'by dotted lines in a partially opened position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to "the drawing, in which one embodiment of the'inventionis shown, the door is constructed in the desired number of sections, ordinarily two sections, consisting of the upper or top section l and a lower or bottom sectionZ, the number of sections depending upon the size of thedoor and the purpose for which the door is to be used. The sections l and 2 are pivotally connected together along their adjacent horizontal meeting-edges by means of hinges :3 which allow the door sections 'to move inwardly in' opening as shown in the dottedlines in Fig. 2 in-which the same is shown in a partially opened position. The upper section is pivotally supported :from the top jamb of the door frame :Bby means of hinges 4 so arranged as to allow the lower edge of the section to swing inwardly and upwardly. The lower section 2 is pivotally and slidably connected ateach of the jambs 6 at the sides-of the door opening so that as the upper section is swung inwardly the top edge of 'the'lower section may swing inwardlyandupwardly, while at the same time the lower edge will move upwardly between the side jambs of the door frame.

As illustrated, a roller 1 is arranged at each side of the lower section, preferably near the bottom thereofland secured to the-door vby a pin 8. The door jamb is provided with guides for guiding the rollers and preventing the lower edge of the lower section becoming displaced. As most clearly shown in Fig. 3, I have shown a guide at each side of the door in the 'form of a channel 9 of a size to receive the'rollers. This channel or guide extends from adjacent the top ofthe door opening to adjacent the bottomgso that the lower portion of the-door is at alltimes maintained in proper relation'with the door frame. Obviously, the guide can be made in variously 'different'ways, of one-piece metal construction as shown, or in two or more pieces of the same or different materials.

Where the door'is used as a protection against the weather, as in a garage or the like,=it is desirable to provide means for preventing the elements from entering around the edges of the door. This is accomplished by constructing the outer or weather-side wall 26 of the guide of a width to extend beyond the edges of the door, where it will closely overlie the exterior face of the closed door, as shown in Fig. 3. The portion of the door below the rollers I, has been reduced in width to allow'that 'end of the-door to clear the side wall 26, as it rotates outwardly about the rollers "when the door is being opened. The corresponding portion 27 of the inner sidewall is of a width to extend beyond the edges 28 of the narrowed portion of the section and closely overlie the interior face of the section thereat. This construction provides an effective protection against the elements without affecting the operation of the door in any way.

To counterbalance the door "and'facilitate the openingthereof,'I provide one or more counterbalances Ill in the form of weights'which are connected to the door by cables, chains or other connecting means extending over sheaves or pulleys l3 and I4 and extended to adjacent the bottom portion of the lower section and attached thereto. In this connection I prefer to provide brackets l2 or the equivalent to connect the lower end of the cables I I thereto at a point spaced from the inner face of the door, so that the tendency of the Weight is to maintain the door in operative closed position until an initial opening movement, after which the weight tends to draw the door to its open position. Obviously, as the door is started to open position and more or less closed, there is a tendency, if the weights are too heavy, for the door to be snapped or violently thrown into its open position. I, therefore, limit the size of the weights and provide supplemental counterbalancing means which is very effective at the initial opening movement, but which is gradually less effective until the door very nearly reaches its wide open position. This supplemental balancing means consists of a spring l5 of the desired strength which may be secured to the door, as at H5, at its lower end and to a suitable support at its upper end. The support at the upper end, as shown, consists of a movable carrier I'I arranged to travel on a track l8, the rollers l9 being provided to reduce the friction. The stop 29 prevents the carriage from approaching the door jamb, the spring l5 thereby exerting a force not only upwardly but also inwardly, thus tending to maintain the door in its closed position. The spring l5 also tends to maintain the door in its closed position until it is given an initial start, at which time it tends to lift the door, but with a'gradually decreasing pull as the spring becomes shorter and its tension is reduced. As the middle of the door swings inwardly the carrier I! may move outwardly on the track l8. The track [8 may be supported in any suitable manner, the outer end, in the construction illustrated, being carried by a brace 20. Ordinarily, only one supplemental balancing device is employed and that located intermediate the side edges of the door, but obviously a plurality of such devices may be employed if considered necessary.

A convenient locking mechanism is shown consisting of a plate arranged at the inner side of the door and having locking bars 22 arranged to engage in recesses 23 in the channel and door frame. Rotating the plate 2| moves the bars 22 into or out of locking position. I have not considered it necessary to show the locking mechanism in detail, as the same may be manipulated from a handle on the inside and by means of a key from the outside. These locking bars prevent the lower edge of the upper section being moved inwardly and consequently prevent the lower section being lifted. The handle 24 may be provided on the inside of the door for pulling the door inwardly to start the opening and a strap or the like 25 may also be secured to the lower section to facilitate pulling the section down from open to closed position.

When the door is in its closed position the spring l5 under tension will tend to pull the carriage I1 toward the door, as shown in Fig. 2, permitting the spring to contract as much as possible. To open the door, the handle 24 is grasped and pulled inwardly, thereby pulling the lower edge of the upper section inwardly, the same pivoting on the hinges 4. The upper edge of the lower section will also be pulled inwardly, pivoting on the hinges 3, while the lower end or portion will pivot about the rollers'and also move upwardly, being guided by the engagement of the rollers in the channel 9. With the counterweights partly balancing the door, it is not necessary for the operator to lift the entire dead Weight of the door, and the spring l5, being under tension, will also exert an upward force on the lower section, assisting in setting the door in motion. Since this extra force is not necessary after the door has been given its initial starting movement, this supplemental lifting force will diminish as the section rises, since the spring as it contracts tends to lose its force.

When the door has been raised to its wide open position the upper section will have been rotated on the hinges 4 until it is substantially in a hori zontal position, with the lower section rotated about the hinges 3 until it is folded under and substantially parallel and closely underlying the upper section. When opened, the door is entirely out of the way, occupying no floor or other usable space as in the case of a conventional type of door. To close the door, the opening procedure is reversed. When the door is closed, it may be securely locked in the manner described or in an equivalent way that will prevent the movement of the sections.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided a door of novel construction, a door which affords effective protection from the weather, and which may be readily opened and when in such position is out of the way. It also will be evident that I have provided novel means for reducing the manual force required to place the door in motion, as well as to reduce the manual force necessary to raise the door to an open position.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together along one of their horizontal edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb and the bottom edge of the lower section being pivotally and slidably connected along its side edges to the door jambs, counterweights operatively attached to said lower section in spaced relation from the face of said section, a track mounted above and transversely to the door when the latter is in a closed position, a carriage slidably mounted on said track, and a spring, one end of which is fastened to said carriage and the other end fastened to the lower section of the door.

2. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together to open inwardly along their adjacent meeting edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, channels positioned in the vertical jambs of the door, a roller extending from each edge of the lower section into said channels adapted to slide and pivot therein, weights attached to the lower section in spaced relation to the face of said door for counterbalancing the weight of the door, a supporting member positioned above and transversely of the door, and a spring, one end of which is mounted on the lower section and the otheriend fastened to saidsupporting member.

of the door, a roller extending from each edge of the lower section into said channels adapted to slideand pivot therein, weights operatively attached to the lower section in spaced relation from the face of said door for counterbalancing the weight of the door, a track positioned above and transversely to the door, a carrier member movable on said track, and a spring, one end of which is fastened to the lower section and having the other end fastened to said sliding member.

4. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and a lower section, said sections being hinged together along their adjacent meeting edges to open inwardly, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, channels positioned in the vertical jambs of the door, a, roller extending from each edge of the lower section into said channels adapted to slide and pivot therein, weights operatively attached to the lower section in spaced relation from the face of said door to counterbalance the weight of the door, a track mounted above and transversely to the door when the lat ter is in a closed position, a carriage operative to slide inwardly from a point intermediate the ends of the track, and a spring, one end of which is fastened to said carriage and the other end fastened to the lower section of the door.

5. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together to open inwardly along their adjacent horizontal edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, a guide running the full length of the door situated on each vertical jamb of the latter, each guide having side walls of different widths, the inner side walls being of a width to allow the door to clear them as the latter is opened, the outer side walls of said guides being of a width to closely overlie the adjacent face of the door when the latter is in a closed position, a roller fastened to the side edges of the lower section adapted to slide in the channels formed by said side walls, that portion of the section extending below the rollers being of a width to clear the outer side walls when the section is raised up and inwardly, the corresponding portion of the inner side walls of the guides being of a width to closely overlie the face of the adjacent narrowed portion of said section.

6. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together to open inwardly along their adjacent horizontal edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, a guide running the full length of the door situated on each vertical jamb of the latter, each guide having side walls of different widths, the inner side walls being of a width to allow the door to clear them as the latter is opened, the outer side walls of said guides being of a width to closely overlie the adjacent face of the door when the latter is in a closed position, roller fastened to the side edges of the lower section adapted to slide in the channels formed by said side walls, that portion of the section extending below the rollers being of a width to clear the outer sidewalls when the section is raised -.up and inwardly,-the corresponding portion of the inner side walls of the'guides being of a width to closely overlie the face of the adjacent 'xnarrowed portion of said section, and weightsloperatively attached to the lower section inspaced relation from the face of, said door for counterbalancing the weight of the door.

, 57. A door of the kindldescribed divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together to open inwardly along their adjacent horizontal edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, a guide situated on each vertical jamb of the door, each guide having side walls of different widths, the inner side walls being of a width to allow the door to clear them as the latter is opened, the outer side walls of said guides being of a width to closely overlie the adjacent face of the door when the latter is in a closed position, a roller fastened to the side edges of the lower section adapted to slide in the channels formed by said side walls, that portion of the section extending below the rollers being of a width to clear the outer side walls when the section is raised up and inwardly, the corresponding portion of the other side walls of the guides being of a width to closely overlie the face of the adjacent narrowed portion of said section, weights operatively attached to the lower section in spaced relation from the face of said door for counterbalancing the weight of the door, a supporting member positioned above and transversely to the door, and a spring, one end of which is mounted on the lower section and the other end fastened to said supporting member.

8. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together to open inwardly along their adjacent horizontal edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, a guide situated on each vertical jamb of the door, each guide having side walls of different widths, the inner side walls being of a width to allow the door to clear them as the latter is opened, the outer side walls of said guides being of a width to closely overlie the adjacent face of the door when the latter is in a closed position, a roller fastened to the side edges of the lower section adapted to slide in the channels formed by said sidewalls, that portion of the section extending below the rollers being of a width to clear the outer side walls when the section is raised up and inwardly, the corresponding portion of the other side walls of the guides being of a width to closely overlie the face of the adjacent narrowed portion of said section, weights operatively attached to the lower section in spaced relation from the face of said door for counterbalancing the weight of the door, a track positioned above and transversely to the door, a carrier member movable on said track, and a spring, one end of which is fastened to the lower section, the other end fastened to said carrier member.

9. A door of the kind described divided horizontally into an upper and lower section, said sections being hinged together to open inwardly along their adjacent horizontal edges, the top edge of the upper section being hinged to the door jamb, a guide situated on each vertical jamb of the door, each guide having side walls of different widths, the inner side walls being of a width to allow the door toclear them as the latter is opened, the outer side walls of said guides being of a width to closely overlie the exterior adjacent face of the door w en h latter 10 said section, weights operatively attached to the lowersection inv spaced relation from the face of said door forcounterbalancing the weight of the door, a track positioned above and transversely to the door, a-carrier member operative to run on said track between the free end of the track and a point intermediate the ends thereof, and a spring, one end of which is fastened to the lower section, the other end fastened to the carrier member.

CLAUDE L. POST. 

